Sound Division design & equip ‘unique
digital gallery’
Advanced integrated AV solution for
Bar Sequence
A unique interactive video bar has been opened in
Islington’s Essex Road by Aria Ariantalab,
with the clever technology design and integration
within a confined space project managed and installed
by the Sound Division Group.
Ariantalab spent close on £1 million perfecting
the concept and fulfilling his dream to create a
75-capacity digital gallery (with separate pavement
seating) in which everyone from media creatives to
the gamer generation can interact in a social environment.
The owner needed to find technology specialists
who could implement his dream, and his online research
led him to Sound Division. As soon as he saw their
enviable portfolio of top London venues, he knew
he had found a system integrator compatible with
his requirements.
However, his brief provided a particularly challenging
task for the company’s MD David Graham and
his project team
“Aria had a specific idea of what he wanted
and had clearly done his research well,” said
David. “This represented a different kind of
challenge in which we had to design an intuitive
Soundweb London BLU-16 user interface at the bar
to route the audio signals to three zones, with a
Kramer VP-8x8 8 x 8 switcher for the video matrix.”
The decision had been taken early on that there
would be no wall-mounted controllers in this venue
as would normally be the case for a system of this
type. Said Soundweb programmer Martin Barbour, “This
led us down the path of using the bar audio playback
PC as the central control surface, which gives access
to all audio routing and control functions for the
venue in a simple and user friendly interface.
“A simple serial connection between the Soundweb
London processor and Kramer video switcher gives
the end user complete control of their AV system
from the same interface.”
Seven Optoma EX525ST 2500 ANSI Lumens projectors
were specified in view of their short-throw attributes
over just a 1.3 metre projection distance. This enables
anyone from graphic designers, media artists or photographers
to bring in their work on a memory stick, plug into
a resident laptop (or their own) and decorate the
blank canvas walls with stills or moving images via
one of the projector inputs (which also take Denon
DVD feeds). Via the matrix any source can be routed
to any projector.
In addition to the resident laptops there are three
plug-in points for customers to plug in their own
laptops if necessary, along with purpose-designed
folding laptop shelves.
As for the sound, volume can be controlled locally — the
highest SPL registering at the rear-end dancefloor,
where the booth is equipped with industry-standard
playback equipment (Pioneer CDJ1000’s and DJM
800 mixer and Technics SL’s) to quietest in
the front area lounge, overlooking the pavement.
For playback Sound Division specified six wall-mounted
white Martin Audio AQ8 on rotatable brackets, set
in pairs down the length of the rectangular room,
with an AQ210 2 x 10” ultra compact bass speaker,
all processed by the 8-in/ 8-out Soundweb. These
are powered by Crown XTi2000 amplifiers.
To complete the picture, and complement Space Design’s
interior concept, Sound Division were also tasked
with supplying a quantity of AVR LED lighting
products to produce some stunning bar effects — warm
white around the back bar mirror, RGB LED’s
glowing out from under the bar and MR16-type fittings
along the back of the seating and drinks counters
which were installed by Manad Ltd, the main fit out
contractors.
Aria Ariantalab now believes he has filled a unique
space in the Capital’s landscape and that this
is probably “the first truly digital bar in
the UK”. He says, “Essentially this is
an opportunity for people to share their digital
life in a social context, away from their home PC’s.
In fact I believe we are the first truly digital
bar in the UK.”
The place can be used for tutorials and seminars,
while potential resident DJ’s and VJ’s
can be assessed at Bar Sequence’s Wednesday ‘Open
Deck’ nights. For guests, Bar Sequence offers
free Wi-Fi and is open until 3am.
“David Graham was very focused throughout and
pleasant to deal with,” says Aria. “His
equipment choices proved perfect for the task.”
The Sound Division MD retorted, “This is a
truly unique concept and it was a pleasure to be
involved in the development. We are increasingly
becoming specialised in audio and video integrated
systems and receive a high level of technical support
from Kramer and Optoma.”
Once he has the Islington venue established, Aria
Ariantalab plans to open a series of similarly-profiled
Bar Sequences.
June 2009 |
